APPLICATION PROCEDURESFOR FOREIGN AMATEUR RADIO LICENSEESTO ESTABLISH A STATION IN JAPAN

REQUIRED DOCUMENTATIONS
Please submit the following documents with your application.
(1) Completed station information form JARL-96-04.
(2) Signed Letter of Authorization (JARL-04-09A) allowing JARL to submit the application on your behalf.
(3) A photocopy of your current amateur radio operator certificate.
(4) A photocopy of photograph page of your passport.
(5) An international money order for funds due, or a photocopy of bank transfer confirming that the appropriate funds have been transferred to JARL.SUBMISSION
The application must be submitted at least 60 days prior to date you wish to start operation in Japan. Submit your application to:

LICENSING INFORMATION
(1) Those who have valid amateur qualification mentioned in Annex 1 are eligible to establish and operate an amateur station in Japan, regardless of their nationality.

(2) It is recommended to apply for a portable/mobile 50W station license for the operation anywhere in Japan.

(3) If you wish to operate a radio with more than 50W output power, you need a fixed station license. If you need both portable/mobile and fixed station license, the application fee is charged for each license.

(4) When your Japanese amateur radio license is granted, it will be forwarded to your Japanese mailing address stated in item 6 of station information (JARL-96-04).

(5) You may use JARL's address for item 7of station information (JARL-96-04), if you choose mobile/portable station, and you can receive your license at JARL's office in Tokyo by presenting your passport or any other kind of ID. In this case, please state 'HOLD MY LICENSE AT JARL' in item 6, and add 300 Yen annual spectrum utilization fee to your payment.

(6) Revised fees payable for station license, effective July 1, 2009, are: 50W or less, Yen 4,300 (mobile/portable station); more than 50W but not more than 200W, Yen 8,100 (fixed station only)

(7) Station licenses will be granted for a period of your authorized stay in Japan up to five years, and not beyond the expiration date of your certificate. The license is renewable at 3,050 Yen per application. Five-year licenses are available for those who hold 'PERMISSION FOR PERMANENT RESIDENCE' (visa category 4-1-14) from Minister of Justice, Japan, but proof of this visa status must be provided with your application.

(8) Different application procedure is necessary if you plan to run more than 200W output. Applications using the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) specified form, all filled out in Japanese, must be submitted directly to the regional Bureau of Telecommunications (BT) in the call district where you will set-up your station in Japan. After provisional approval by BT, you must go through on-site inspection of your station by BT before being granted your license. This procedure may take more than three months. Please contact JARL (see item 2) beforehand for more details.

(9) If your radio has 'Technical Standard Certification Number*', please mention the number along with the model and manufacturer names in your application form.

(10) If your radio does not have 'Technical Standard Certification Number*', your radio needs to be assured by the authorized assurer called "JARD ". The assurance fee is Yen 4,000 for a single radio or Yen 6,000 for 2 to 5 radios new license application, or Yen 3,000 for an additional radio or Yen 5,000 for multiple additional radios to an existing license.

- International Money Order payable in yen to the Japan Amateur Radio League, or

- Paypal

Category of application

Application Fee

Mobile/Transportable or Fixed station license for up to 50W output power, with radio(s) having 'Technical Standard Certification Number*'

4,300 JPY

Fixed station license for an output power beyond 50W and up to
200W, with radio(s) having 'Technical Standard Certification Number*'

8,100 JPY

Renewal of any type of station license

3,050 JPY

Assurance of a radio without 'Technical Standard Certification
Number*', for a new license application

4,000 JPY

Assurance of 2 or 5 radios without
'Technical Standard Certification Number*',
for a new license application

6,000 JPY

Assurance of a radio without 'Technical Standard Certification
Number*', for addition to an existing license

3,000 JPY

Assurance of more than one radios without
'Technical Standard Certification Number*',
for addition to an existing license

5,000 JPY

Annual Spectrum Utilization Fee
(Only applicable to those wish to set the license address at JARL.)

300 JPY

* Technical Standard Certification NumberThe Japan Amateur Radio Development Association (JARD) is an organization authorized by the MIC to testify amateur radio equipment. To avoid radio interference and illegal operation caused by out-of-standard radio equipment, JARD makes technical inspection on the basis of 'Regulation for Technical Standard Certification on Specified Radio Equipment' and issues the certificate (Technical Standard Certification Number) on each equipment that it has successfully passed the inspection to prove that the equipment, thus inspected and passed, complies with the said technical standard.

You will receive a bill from the Ministry

As from April, 1993, a Radio User Fee System, effecting all radio stations, was
introduced and henceforth a fee per license was imposed. Radio operators including radio
amateurs receive their bills every year from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC)
after the date of the issuing of licenses.(Currently 300 yen per year per license.)

We, JARL, hope you will understand the circumstances, and would you please pay the fee at any post office in Japan.

F A Q

Does JARL accept credit card?

Sorry, we do not have the credit card facility as a payment option, but we can accept your payment through Paypal.

Is there a way to operate without establishing my own station?

Yes, according to the Japanese guest operation rules, if you have valid amateur
qualification mentioned in Annex 1, you are eligible
to operate local amateur radio stations. For your information, major points of the system are:

(1) Guest operators must have valid amateur licenses.
(2) Guest operators must operate according to his/her own licensed qualification,
as well as hosts' stations' scope of operation e.g. output power, bands and modes etc.
(3) Host (licensee) must be present during the guests' operation.
(4) Guest operators identify themselves with hosts' callsign followed by his/her own callsign or name.

Today I received my Japanese reciprocal licence. Q1: On the lower part of the License it lists type of emission, frequency, and power. There are a total of 13 frequencies listed, from 1910 kHz to 435 MHz.

For example
3HA 14175 kHz 50W
Does this mean I am restricted to this one frequency, 14,175.000 kHz on the 20m band? Am I permitted to move up and down by several kHz, or across the whole band?

Also, on the UHF band:
3VA 435MHz 20W
This is a repeater frequency and not a simplex frequency. Am I permitted to operate on frequencies other than 435.0000 MHz

Q2: Also, I'm not clear on the code 3HA, 3HC, 3HD and 3VA. Could you please explain.

A1: You can operate anywhere in 14 MHz or 430 MHz band in accordance with the Japanese band plan.
The frequency listed on the license is called "designated frequency" and normally center frequency of a band.

A2: Those are simplified Japanese emission mode group designation as follows: